


Eloquence in Translation

by TheColorBlue



Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: Kristoff's Sami background, M/M, ethnic minority
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-28
Updated: 2013-12-28
Packaged: 2018-01-06 12:18:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1106722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheColorBlue/pseuds/TheColorBlue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kristoff is the reindeer herder from the lands of the north, and Prince Hans is the prince from the kingdom of the south. </p><p>Inspired by elincia's fic "<a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/1104289">Snowblind</a>," written from Hans' perspective, with the change (from both the film and "Snowblind" that Kristoff has been raised culturally <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sami_people">Sami</a>. (In the film, he is coded Sami with his clothing and with Sven, but since he's essentially raised by trolls...it didn't really make too much of a difference in the end 9.9)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Eloquence in Translation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pallidiflora](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pallidiflora/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Snowblind](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1104289) by [pallidiflora](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pallidiflora/pseuds/pallidiflora). 



> The term "Lapp" is used in Hans Christian Anderson's story "The Snow Queen," and was historically used by outsiders for the Sami people. Today, the term is considered archaic and perjorative. The change in Kristoff's background was because I love writing Kristoff as Sami, and I thought it would add an interesting interpretative dimension to elincia's already stellar story. C:

Lappland extends in the territory north of and nominally controlled by the three kingdoms also north of Hans’ home country. The Lapp reindeer herders who pass through the borders pay taxes three times and are mostly kept separate from the people of those sovereign kingdoms. At the same time, there have been attempts to civilize them, in a way, to better exert control over these outside peoples, mostly in the form of religious ministry and education in letters and language. 

In the summers, those Lapp who herd reindeer take their herds to the coasts, close to the markets where they will slaughter and sell meat and furs. In the winters, the herds are taken to the shelter of the inland forests. 

The Lapp are a romantic people of the north. The Lapp are a primitive people, with pockets of pagan shamanism. 

Kristoff looks perturbed enough to spit when Hans uses the word _Lapp_ ; diplomatically, gracefully, Hans apologizes and is offered a different word, _Sami_.

Kristoff talks to his reindeer companion, frequently, in a language that Hans does not recognize. Hans listens to the sounds, and teases out the language of emotion and behavior: he fishes out sentiment, love, and a tender heart sheltered behind a rough, clumsy exterior. Kristoff is sentimental, and lonely. 

Hans puts these observations away, like sheafs of letters tucked into shelves in his mind, arranged artfully enough to be pulled out again and presented as smiles, and companionable touches, and offerings of food and more comfortable shelter. 

Prince Hans of the Southern Isles has never met a Lapp reindeer herder before his time in Arendelle—a _Sami_ reindeer herder. There is a village of Mountain Sami not far from Arendelle, between Arendelle and the frozen lakes where ice is harvested. In this frozen winter, Kristoff has family who have likely taken shelter at the settlement. Hans cajoles Kristoff to stay. _Anna would have wanted it. Arendelle needs someone like Kristoff_. Hans needed someone so familiar with the mountain terrain, in case. 

Always, he collected people who could be useful. _In case_. Besides, he is mildly fascinated. Kristoff is acceptable diversion, between the chill creeping into the castle, and the visits to Anna, to be certain life is not returning to her frozen body, to Elsa in the dungeon, where every day Hans plays the benevolent, cajoling prince speaking on behalf of her people. Her people are dying of the cold. Try harder to stop the winter. _Try harder_.

Every day, Hans hears Elsa weeping in her prison. It disgusts him. 

He breathes into his hands to warm them. The canvas of a painting is burning in his fireplace to provide additional heat and light. It might have been of a girl in a swing, once. Now the flames are eating away at the paint, turning the colors to ash. 

When he goes to Kristoff with dinner and plans to further cement ties of loyalty, his behavior is not completely insincere. There is pleasure in taking in the heat of Kristoff’s body. There is pleasure in taking this rough, uncultured, though admittedly not unattractive man, and extracting his faith, his love, his loyalty. 

Hans watches Kristoff stoke the fire when they have finished in bed, and Hans thinks: it has been a fruitful evening, after all.


End file.
